cookie lust

Dear Handsome Neighbor,


Yes, you're handsome. I know it and I also know you and most of Los Angeles knows it.  Living above you has taught me a lot. One, that you don't have a 'type' and two, that you're not into 'relationships'. There have been other informative things too like the fact that one can never really wear too many bracelets and that you don't have to shower everyday or even comb your hair in order for the opposite sex to find you irresistible.  Personal hygiene and fashion choices that I am reconsidering now having observed your late night success rate.  The constant stream of beautiful women you have coming out of your apartment is not only astounding, it's truly an accomplishment.  I mean really, you're like the pied piper of women... Although I initially assumed that I would find this blatantly offensive, it's actually become part of my morning routine. Wake up, make my morning cup of tea and observe the post coital exist strategy of your house guest 'du jour'.


Here's the deal, when I see you and smile and you happen to be around when I'm offering my other neighbors cookies, please don't get any ideas. When I offer you a cookie and say "these will be the best 'cookies' you've ever tasted", I really am referring to the cookies at hand. This isn't some kind of innuendo filled attempt to organize some late night, convenient rendezvous.  I'm just a smiley type of girl who needs people to consume the copious amounts of food I'm constantly making.  Even though the winking you've now added to our neighborly 'hello' is flattering (I suppose?), I'd prefer to remain on the outside of that fish bowl and continue to be an enthused observer.


thanks,
tash

Warning: These cookies may make your neighbors fall in lust with you. 

The Chirpy Bird's Chocolate Chip Cookie


Makes around 16 cookies
Preheat Oven 350


1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 stick of cold unsalted butter cut in pieces
1 3oz bar of Scharffen Berger Bittersweet Chocolate
1 3oz bar of Scharffen Berger Rich Milk Chocolate
1 egg
1//2 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup of packed dark brown sugar


Sift dry ingredients together and set aside. Chop chocolate into small chunks. Don't be perfect! One of the best parts about this cookie are the varying sizes of chocolate through out the cookie! In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, begin to mix half of the cold butter until smooth.  Add both sugars and continue to mix for around a minute. Add the remaining butter and blend together on medium speed for around 3 minutes. Turn down mixer and add egg. You will need to turn the mixer off every now and then and scrape bowl with spatula to ensure that the mixture is being brought together evenly.  Turn the mixer on low and add the flour mixture. Only allow the mixer to bring it together for around 15 seconds, you don't want to overwork the flour.  Add the chocolate by hand and mix with spatula.  Use around two tablespoons of dough and shape into a ball.  Leave around two inches between each cookie on your sheet. Place in preheated oven for around 12 minutes.


you're welcome!  ;)


xo

you & me

{via}

This is just a quick note and I'll be back later but I have something that I wanted to share completely unrelated to food or style, but something equally as fabulous and in truth, far more important. 

There are some crazy things happening around the globe right now. Riots, floods, hurricanes larger than Katrina but all deeply rooted in destructive chaos. The world is very loud right now and if nothing else, we need to take a moment. A moment of stillness and silence, a moment of conscious thought. We are all connected. Whether we want to embrace that or not is another thing. Lets counteract this loudness with mindful stillness. The conscious collective is a powerful thing.
Be still, be mindful, be aware. 

We all need one another now more than ever. Aside from doing whatever it is that you're doing, lets keep one another in still and quiet, prayerful mindedness.

a picture of Christians protecting Muslims during their prayers via

...see you soon for some chocolatey chip goodness!
tash xo

sicko

I've been sick for over a week now which is so unlike me.  Usually I shake it off within a couple of days but this ones proving to be a nasty little bugger. Either way, the only thing I feel like when I'm not firing on all pistons is soup and the only person that makes the best soup in the world is my mum.  That's a problem seeing as my mum lives across the other side of the world!  Luckily when she was in town recently for a month we spent lots of rainy days over the stove making home made chicken stock and freezing it. 

Saved!

I know I know I can hear you from here, why bother when you can buy the stuff pre packaged and ready to go. Well make it once and then lets have that conversation! It will literally change the flavor, not to mention the nutritional value of your meal. Just remember, the quality of your ingredients will ultimately always determine the quality of your food.. organic, local, sustainable. I know it's more expensive but seriously it's a must.

Think of this stock as being the super hero that will come in and save the day...

Sickness, be gone!

The Chirpy Bird's Chicken Stock
1 6lb organic chicken, giblets removed
1 yellow onion quartered
2 carrots chopped in half
2 stalks of celery including leaves
2 parsnips cut in half
1 whole head of garlic cut in half
one handful of dill
one handful of parsley
one handful of thyme or rosemary
one tablespoon of kosher salt
one teaspoon of peppercorns
one bay leaf
a quart and a half of water or just covering chicken and veggies

Make sure that you wash the chicken thoroughly inside and out before you use it. Place all ingredients in your soup pot and bring to a soft boil. Boil semi-covered for around 2 1/2 - 3 hours.  Strain liquid through colander and allow stock to sit overnight in the fridge.  The next day you will see the animal fat that has solidified on the surface. Scrape off the top and place in tupperware to freeze or use immediately!

**If you want to use some of the meat from your chicken in a soup or salad I always cheat my way around that! Remove the entire 'chook' after around one and a half hours and separate the white meat. It's really important that you return the remaining chicken back into the stock and allow it to continue to do it's thing for the outstanding time.

xo tash

light and lemony

Lately I've been getting some requests for gluten free baked goods. I'm all for experimenting in the kitchen and doing the ol' switcharoo with certain ingredients to up the health factor and this is exactly what I did. Not only is this Gluten Free but it's butter free and made with coconut oil and yogurt. This lemon maple cake is truly delicious and just gets better over time. 

Gluten Free Lemon Maple Cake

1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 cup of low fat vanilla yogurt (I use stonyfield)

1 cup of sugar

3 extra large eggs

2 teaspoons of grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/2 cup of coconut oil

Glaze

1/3 fo lemon juice 

3 tablespoons of real maple syrup

3 tablespoons of sugar

Preheat oven to 350F.  Sift together dry ingredients with whisk and set aside. In another bowl whisk together remaining wet ingredients (apart from the coconut oil) until smooth. Incorporate wet and dry ingredients with a spatula and once evenly brought together, add coconut oil and continue to bring together until smooth. 

Pour into your desired loaf tin and bake for approximately 50 minutes until centre comes out clean. Allow to sit for around 15 minutes and while slightly cooling place glaze ingredients over heat in saucepan and heat until sugar has dissolved and glaze is smooth. Slowly pour hot glaze over warm cake and allow syrup to be absorbed into loaf. 

Perfect for an afternoon pick me up with your piping hot caffeine of choice :)

This entry is dedicated to my friend, my 'nooch'. You know who you are. Thank you for my kick in the butt. Thank you for always being a solid constant. Thank you for being brave enough to tell me how it is. I love you. I'm back. 

talented people

...make me happy.   :)

flood appeal

People have lost their homes, beloved pets, loved ones and their entire life's belongings... It's also my home town where my family and friends still live.

Please help! Every penny counts..

http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

all the single ladies...

When my mum was in town recently, we spent days in the kitchen baking some of our all time favorite things. It was such a wonderful way to spend the icy wet days so that we could fill our tummy's during the cold dark nights.

One of my all time favorite cookies are the Greek variety known as Koulourakia.  These shortbread like cookies are subtly sweet, dense and are the perfect companion with your morning, afternoon, or evening caffeinated drink of choice.

Koulourakia 
1 cup of room temperature unsalted butter
1 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
3 eggs
4 1/2 cups of flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Proceed to add the eggs one at a time until incorporated evenly and then add vanilla. Slowly add the flour 1/2 a cup at a time and then add the baking powder.

Take out the dough mixture and continue to kneed by hand until evenly brought together.

Roll out around 2 tablespoons of dough and twist the ends around each other twice.

Don't ask me why, but these little gems remind me of ladies crossing their legs!

And the best part, is that unlike regular cookies, they just keep getting better and better as the days go on!

xox tash

p.s. please keep all of the Australian flood victims in your thoughts and prayers...